Headache during pregnancy is a fairly common occurrence in expectant mothers. According to statistics, every fifth woman suffers from it. Pain may be a symptom of a wide variety of pathological conditions, but its characteristics will then be different. Of great importance for the diagnosis of diseases is the nature of the sensations, their localization, duration, the conditions under which they arise, weaken or intensify.
A headache during pregnancy does not always mean that a disease begins, in many cases it is a reaction of the body to a new condition.
But be that as it may, it is important to determine the nature of the ailment, to identify the factors that affect its appearance.
The article will discuss the causes of pain, methods of treatment, medications for headaches during pregnancy and much more.
Causes of pain
Often recurring pains in a pregnant woman have many causes, but, as a rule, they arise due to the following factors:
- Change in hormonal levels. Especially severe headache during pregnancy in the first trimester, when tremendous transformations occur in the body. This condition is also accompanied by an increase in body temperature, and many women take their malaise as a cold and begin to be treated intensively.
- High blood pressure. Pressure, as a rule, increases significantly in the last weeks of pregnancy, and with it headaches begin.
- Lack of oxygen in the body.
- Overweight.
- Lack of trace elements and vitamins.
- The presence of problems with the spine, kidneys, blood vessels.
- Physical stress, stress, mental stress.
- Change in weather conditions.
One of the common causes of headache during pregnancy is a neurological disease - migraine. It usually develops at a young age and is characterized by frequently recurring attacks of headache, gastrointestinal disorders, and visual impairment.
With migraine, one part of the head often hurts, nausea, vomiting is observed. The pain is intense, pulsating in nature. In a classic form, the forerunner of pain is “flies” or flashes in front of the eyes.
It should be noted that migraine in the second trimester of pregnancy practically does not occur, this is due to hormonal changes in the body.
Factors that affect the occurrence of pain
The following factors can trigger the development of an attack:
- Hunger or overeating.
- Eating cheese, citrus fruits, chocolate, red wine.
- Harsh light.
- Loud noise.
- Stress.
- Weather change.
- Lack of sleep.
- Fatigue.
A headache can also be a sign of very serious diseases, such as meningitis (inflammation of the brain), hematoma, cerebral hemorrhage, sinusitis. In all these cases, we are talking about the first severe headache, which is also accompanied by symptoms that are characteristic of each specific disease. So, if the pain is severe and occurs for the first time, you should definitely consult a doctor, do not self-medicate and hope that it goes away by itself.
How to treat pain?
How to relieve a headache during pregnancy? Drug treatment in this condition is very limited, since most of the drugs have a negative effect on the development of the fetus. Treatment depends on the cause and nature of the pain syndrome.
Many women are helped by a normal dream, in a dark room in silence and complete rest.
From headache during pregnancy, a light massage of the head, neck and neck can help - you need to completely relax and use your fingertips to make circular movements.
Another means of first aid is washing your hair with warm water.
What can you try to do from a headache during pregnancy? Most likely, a compress with ice or just cold water can help, which should be applied to the temples, forehead and back of the head.
You can make compresses with cabbage leaves, which should be mashed so that they let the juice.
What else can be done from a headache during pregnancy? Many women bandage their heads with a scarf or scarf, while pulling it on so that they feel pressure.
Teas with mint, wild rose, lemon balm, and chamomile have a mild analgesic effect. Very strong black tea often helps.
Fresh air will help relieve a headache during pregnancy, at the first symptoms it is necessary to ventilate the room and do a wet cleaning.
Persistent pain very often occurs due to a decrease in blood sugar. To normalize it, you need to eat a candy or a slice of chocolate, drink tea with sugar.
ethnoscience
During pregnancy, it is not recommended to take many medications, however, and authorized drugs should be used only in emergency cases. But what can be done with a slight malaise? How to relieve a headache during pregnancy?
Folk remedies will help to cope with this problem:
- Tea from herbs. It is simply indispensable in the initial stages of pregnancy. Tea reduces emotional arousal, soothes a headache. If a pregnant woman has a fever, then linden tea will help best.
- "Star". Headache during pregnancy is very often used well-known ointment "Asterisk". In a small amount, it is applied to the temples and wrists, it relieves pain, soothes and relaxes. If the cause of the disease is associated with a cold, the ointment should also be applied under the nose. This will relieve nasal congestion and greatly alleviate the general condition.
- Essential oils whose odors reduce malaise and relieve headaches. You can use aroma lamps or just drop the oil on a soft cloth. Chamomile, grapefruit and cardamom oil are very beneficial for pregnant women. If you have a very severe headache during pregnancy, then you can do inhalation with oils. Caution should be used in fir, rosemary, and pine oils.
- Drinking mode. During pregnancy, you need to drink much more fluid than in normal condition. In addition to compotes, fruit drinks, juices, you should definitely drink plain water.
Medicines Against Pain
Only a doctor should be engaged in medical treatment of a pregnant woman, he will select the optimal medicine from the list of allowed pills for headaches during pregnancy, in addition, he will prescribe additional drugs that will help cope with a cold if it is the main cause of malaise. Tablets are prescribed only after they identify the cause of the attack.
Before taking medications for headache during pregnancy, you must carefully study the instructions, since most of the drugs are prohibited for use in an "interesting position".
Pills that are allowed during pregnancy:
- "No-shpa." The medicine helps to stop the pain, it is almost harmless and is often prescribed to pregnant women.
- "Paracetamol". From headache during pregnancy, preparations containing it are often used - "Panadol", "Efferalgan". They help at the peak of pain, in addition, they are good antipyretic drugs, so they are also prescribed for colds. "Panadol Extra" contains caffeine, it is often prescribed under reduced pressure in pregnant women.
- "Citramon" (refers to illegal drugs). Pills are prescribed, extremely rarely and only if the headaches are permanent.
There are special medications to combat migraines. But they can be used during pregnancy only as prescribed by the doctor and under his control.
With high blood pressure, the doctor prescribes a comprehensive treatment, which will be aimed at reducing it.
Prohibited Pregnancy Treatments
Especially in the first trimester of pregnancy, the use of aspirin and its derivatives can lead to the development of fetal malformations (heart and lower jaw). It is forbidden to use aspirin in the later stages of pregnancy, it increases the risk of bleeding during childbirth and can provoke premature closure of the ductus arteriosus in the baby.
Also very toxic, with prolonged use, capable of changing the composition of the blood, are preparations of the analgin group ("Spazgan", "Spazmalgon", "Baralgin").
In addition, you can not use such popular, but dangerous medicines for headaches during pregnancy:
- Amigren, it contains a small amount of narcotic substances;
- "Ergotamine" - increases the risk of uterine bleeding;
- "Decapot" - the drug adversely affects the nervous system of the infant;
- Fiorinal and Atenolol slow down fetal development.
In addition to these medicines, there are others, the reception of which is strictly forbidden in an "interesting position". Therefore, before deciding what to do with a headache during pregnancy and how to treat it, you should definitely consult a specialist.
When should I see a doctor?
Do not self-medicate and self-diagnose. Since taking drugs can harm both the woman herself and the baby.
When it is imperative to consult a doctor:
- If the headache becomes permanent.
- If it begins immediately after sleep.
- The pain is constantly localized in a certain area.
- Vision, hearing, and sensitivity deteriorated.
- Blood pressure rises or falls.
It should be prepared for the fact that additional examinations and tests may be required that will make it possible to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment.
Prevention of pain
It is always easier to prevent the development of an ailment than to treat it later. Particular attention should be paid to prevention and activities that are aimed at preventing headache attacks.
- With migraines, it is necessary to identify factors that provoke the appearance of a headache. It is recommended to keep a diary in which all episodes that caused this malaise should be recorded. In case of migraine, it is better not to eat cheese, chocolate, preservatives, sausages, chicken liver, nuts, avocados. Food in this disease must be observed fractional, as overeating and hunger can trigger an attack.
- It is useful to always carry dried fruits, cookies, an apple during pregnancy so that you can have a quick bite if necessary. These foods can quickly increase blood sugar and eliminate hunger.
- Pregnant should relax more, more often walk in the fresh air.
- Try to get enough sleep every night. It is important to sleep about the same number of hours, an increase or decrease in sleep time can trigger another attack. This is the so-called headache of the day off.
- If the job is to stay in the same position for a long time, then every 30 minutes you need to get up, walk, stretch your muscles.
- Noisy companies and harsh sounds should be avoided.
- To prevent headaches, it is good to take a warm shower daily and go swimming in the pool.
Vitamins and Minerals
Multivitamin complexes are good for the prevention of headaches during pregnancy. They strengthen the immune system and solve some problems associated with pain. Minerals and vitamins help restore balance in the body. With frequent headaches, it is recommended to eat foods rich in calcium, magnesium, selenium, potassium, vitamins B, E, as well as pantothenic acid and Omega 3.
Often, all these useful elements are part of multivitamins for pregnant women, so you can safely drink them and they have proven themselves as preventive agents against headaches in women who are in an “interesting position”.
Doctor's recommendations
So, doctors recommend the following measures for headaches in pregnant women:
- It is necessary to consult a doctor, tell him about the symptoms, localization of pain and possible causes of its occurrence.
- Keep a diary in which to record all information about the intensity, nature and duration of the disease. Other symptoms that accompany pain should also be noted.
- If pain is accompanied by a cold, it is necessary to be treated with cold medications.
- One of the common causes of pain is an uncomfortable pillow for sleeping.
- Women in this period are characterized by frequent mood swings, which can also cause the onset of a headache. Doctors recommend that you think about the good, communicate more with positive people, do not fall into despair and remain calm in any situation.
So, if you have a headache during pregnancy, you need to eliminate the symptoms, but the most important thing is to cope with the cause of this ailment and, of course, not to harm yourself or your baby.